, 1887-05-22
A TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

NloH "a HcE HlcTlIS, Dub Lueut us We dlA
know, women are VIGOROUSLY jealous.
Still even a very pretty girl may be con-
sidered as abusing her privileges II she
/ engages herself 20 more than two men at
once. Now, this was precisely what Miss
Carmichael had done, and was not a little
perplexed by the consequences OF her rash
ness. Not only had she, unknown to and
In disobedience of her people, kept on her
engagement with Haselrig OF the artillery,
but to please he- parents, and also her
own ambition, she had consented O month
or two since to accept Mr.. Lorimer, son
and heir to old Sir James Lorimer. And
now, to crown all, q fortnight ago, at the
Marsdens' ball, Lord Liscarrol had pro-
posed, and she had not been able to refuse
him.
Concerning Capt. Haselrig she had lit
tie anxiety, Us he Ind Rone to India on
being forbidden the house by Mr.. Car
michael, who considered the handsome,
~impecunious soldier by no means an eli
gible match for his only daughter and
heiress. But 1t had taxed even her inge-
nuity to keep Mr.. Lorimer and Lord Lis
carroll ignorant OF each others claims on
her. Lorimer certainly did not suspect
the existence of q rival; but Liscarrol had
moro thNn once resented the airs OF pro
prietorship assumed by the former, and
had pressed Miss Carmichael to allow him
nv ohSo W app " htE Lhbhui III VIZ
horribly perpleXing. Mr.. Carmichael was
a wealthy, self made man, whose fortune
had sprung, as he was only too fond of
boasting, from the traditional fourpenny
bit. He professed ultra radical opinions,
but in his heart was ms fond of a lord as
most people, and Dora well knew would
have been rs delighted ut her latest CON
quest as she herself could have been.
Still, she felt convinced that his word
onNn p1a1oal hA wra.,ll not 90 1,ar sl-ArE
over Charles Lorimer, even for such a
party as Lord Liscarrol. So she told her
lover q doleful story Of stern parents, an
un~sympathetic sutton and an oppressed
laughter divided between duty and dis
u 20 the match proposed.
I are you engaged to that cub Lori
me. asked Liscarrol impatiently.
mol o mol certainly not engaged, but
It Is very possible ! might nave become so
TO please dear papa had 1 not met with
you>' This, said with the sweetest tim
idity and a bashful look, had the full eff.
feet intended.
But now, Dorat"
well, now / must make the poor fel
low understand 1t is impossible-give him
his congo, in fact, so decidedly, that, even
self satisfied rs no is, he can make no mis-
take, and then coax papa us best l can."
Still Liscarrol insisted.
oubi dOh Y 1Ou b-O, lfOIu lLlSCdITOl-
well, Arthur, then-that II you go to papa
directly / have sent off MIR. Lorimer, he
will suspect what has occurred, and
would not hesitate to treat you In the
same wnyf For do what l will, l cannot
help his considering me engaged to that
horrid man"
"weI, when viii you give Lorimer his
songer
Tomorrow morning. He is coming
oh1,,N ANr,A I-to-EI flr-.u -l Y Iii
speak to him hen"
Very well, dearest; and l may look In
to hear the result, may l noti"
And SO It was settled Still, it must be
confessed the situation was n troublesome
one, and sitting In the library the next
day, Dora thought over her plans rather
anxiously.
Mrs. Carmichael was, or fancied her
self, IN invalid, and rarely showed before
lunch land not always then, though ready
enough for her social duties" later in the
day, so her daughter was at full liberty
to arrange matters as she pleased. Ac-
cordingly she told the butler that II Mr..
LorimSC called, he was at once to be
shown in to her in the library, and that If
Lord Ltscarrol should call in the mean
time, he was to be told she would soon be
disenga2ed, and be requested to await her
in the hawing room. So far SO good.
Dul u ring Ut tue uOOT DELL startled ner
from her r~everie, and she waited expect
ing 10 see LorIner ushered in. Instead OF
that, the visitor was ushered up stairs,
and the butler announced Capt. IIasel-
rig" The blow almost staggered her,
but pulling herself together, she went
into the drawing room, and the next mo-
ment was clasped In 1Taselrig's arms. A
few words suficed TO explain his presence.
The death OF an old uncle, his godfather,
had made him master Of a rather valuable
property, and on the strength of this inn
provement in his position the young man
had at once rushed back from In
dia, and, as he fondly hoped, success
fully to plead his suit. Whatever henri
she possessed-it was little enough-be-
longed to Haselrig, an6 she had felt genu-
inc sorrow when her father so entirely de-
clined his proposals; for n moment she
wondered II, after all, Haselrig's love
might not be worth q sacrifice. OF Lori
mer she did not think for one second, but
she did remember Liscarrol, and this
dampened her ardor. Haselrig was hand,
some and fairly rich now, but SO was
Lord Liscarrol, and II her love for him
wns not so great as for Haselrig, she
adored his coronet. So the old story was
once moro related, and by its means she
induced Capt. Haselrig to forego his pur,
pose of seeing her father until she herself
BnOulu give MIN leave 10 speak, ana at
last, to her great relief, she sent him of,
If not satisfied, yet certainly more in love
than ever.
During her conversation with Capt.
Haselrig Dora's sharp ears had caught
the sound of the door bell, so she was
fully prepared to hear that Mr.. Lorimer
was in the library, and went to him at
once. But what she did not know, and
In her hurry would not give the butler
time to tell her, was that Lord Liscarrol
had also arrived, and was at the moment
in the morning room. Now, Lord Lis
carroll was not q particularly impatient
man, blu he had had ample time to get
extremely tired OF waiting, and, having
exhausted the paper, was beguiling his
leisure by staring out Of the window,
when he caught sight Of Haselrig leaving
the house.
'By jovei there's Haselrig!" he ejacu-
lated. "Why, l thought he was in India
/ must hunt the dear old fellow up, How
well he's looking, tool Hulloi what's up
now, | wonderf'' Voices loud, not to say
angry, could be heard in the next room.
"Humphi Lorimer getting his congo, l
suppose. Seems to be catching 1t hot,
too, poor beggar. After all, serve him
right. Why SHOULD he try to force the
ertrl e.. Y,nnxv hsY, ,.I,n. o.,. 49,. .I..